This invention relates to a dispenser adapted to hold and dispense a plurality of gloves. Laboratory or industrial glove dispensing systems typically consist of quantities of gloves that are contained in a corrugated box with a perforated region. When the perforated region is removed, an opening is provided through which gloves are withdrawn by a user. Problems exist with this system.
Gloves may be positioned to dispense in a vertical position. When the gloves are presented vertically, one or more portions of gloves often protrude through the opening when the dispenser is nearly or completely filled with a plurality of gloves. When the dispenser is completely or nearly full, it can be difficult for a user to grasp one glove without causing inadvertent dispensing of additional gloves, resulting in waste. Once the first 10 to 20 percent of the gloves are dispensed, problems continue to exist. At this point, a space between the opening and the plurality of gloves is created. This space requires a user to place a portion of his/her hand into the opening to grasp a glove. As this space increases when 30 percent of more of the gloves are dispensed from the dispenser, the gloves have a tendency to collapse from their dispensing position and to clump together at the bottom of the dispenser. This results in a user having to place his/her hand deep into the dispenser to obtain a single glove. Similar problems exist in horizontal dispensing.
In a dispenser which dispenses gloves in a horizontal position, the same problems occur when the dispenser is nearly or completely full of gloves. Again, once the first 10-20 percent of gloves are dispensed, the user is required to place his/her hand into the opening of the dispenser to retrieve a glove. While clumping may not occur, the continued admittance of user hands into a dispenser opening may result in contamination of one or more gloves, or the entire internal compartment of the dispenser and most or all of the plurality of gloves. In addition, in either horizontal or vertical dispensing, the space which occurs between the dispensing opening and the gloves permits contaminants to enter the dispenser.
Accordingly, there is a need for a dispenser assembly which is configured to hold and dispense a plurality of gloves and which maintains gloves continuously next to a dispensing opening. Such a dispenser assembly desirably permits a plurality of gloves to be easily dispensed one at a time. Such a dispenser also desirably permits the gloves to be oriented such that a wrist area or cuff of at least some of the gloves is presented at the opening for a user to grasp for withdrawal. In addition, the opening to the dispenser is desirably configured and positioned such that little surface area of the glove adjacent the opening is exposed. The gloves are desirably positioned in such a dispenser so that only one glove at a time is positioned adjacent an opening. Such a dispenser also is desirably configured to operate and dispense gloves in a horizontal, vertical or oblique position. The dispenser assembly desirably is portable and easily mounted, if desired, on a surface.